Candles behind the wall : heroes of the peaceful revolution that shattered communism

9780802837226
0802837220

xxi, 266 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Includes bibliographical references (pages 258-262) and index

I. Christians in conflict under communism
1. The making a resister: The story of Rudiger Knechtel
A soldier refuses to shoot at the wall
Enduring prison and its aftermath
Informant "Conrad" from the Stasi
Succumbing to flattery
"You're under arrest!"
No more compromises
2. "A privilege to suffer": The story of Alexander Ogorodnikov
Driven underground by the KGB
Witnessing to criminals
The consequences of refusing to collaborate with the KGB
Hunger strikes, hallucinations, and help
The power of the cross
Released: A new beginning
3. The tyranny of the state: The Russian Orthodox under siege
The unholy alliance of church and state
Light and shadow: Defenders of orthodoxy
Documenter of persecution: Father Gleb Yakunin
Conflict and tragedy: Father Dimitri Dudko
Modern martyr: Father Alexander Men
4. Uneasily tolerated: Soviet protestants under pressure
Strangers in an inhospitable land
Heroes of the Protestant faith-- Georgi Vins and Mikhail Khorev
Yacov Dukhonchenko
Ivan Fedotov
Alexander Firisiuk
5. Taking a stand: Tough decisions for young people
Early indoctrination: Children and the Communist "truth"
Standing up for their beliefs: Harald Thiermann
Anatoly Rudenko
The Gohlkes and the Toasperns
Wilfried Gotter
Marsha and Vera Borisov
II. The revolutionary years
Prologue in Poland
6. Glass houses, Glasnost, and Gorbachev
Gorbachev: Recognizing the importance of morality
An unusual advisor: Alexander Zaichenko
A man transformed: Konstantin Kharchev
New freedoms, old violence
The Baltic states and the Ukraine catch fire
7. Growing resistance in the Eastern Bloc
Protest in the church
Mounting discontent and desperation
Czechoslovakia Chafes
Dynamiting the wall
Flying sparks of resistance
Hungary under pressure
Tense confrontation in East Germany --Candles and courage
"Over my dead body"
8. Political earthquake rocks the Eastern Bloc
East Germany
Friedensgebete in the face of threatened violence
An echo of Jericho: The Berlin Wall falls
The earthquake's epicenter widens
Czechoslovakia
Romania
Poland
The collapsing of an empire
9. The Coup: The moment of decision
Portraits of courage - "Thou shalt not kill": Father Alexander Borisov
Risking her life to serve: Vera Boiko
A link to the West : Anatoly Rudenko
Building a human chain: Alexander Ogorodnikov
"Better to die than to do nothing": Dimad Diomushken
Bibles against tanks: Shirinai Dossova
"Dying is not difficult": Nikolai Arzhannikov
"The people were no longer the same"
III. Candles of hope
10. The KGB and the Stasi: Repentance and forgiveness
Two different informants, two different stories - How is forgiveness possible?
Driven to the brink of suicide: Irmgard Kneifel
"Love your enemies": The Holmers take in the Honeckers
"There is hope in forgiveness"
11. Epilogue: Candles of hope
Working amid the rubble: Leaders of moral renewal
Mikhail Kazachkov
Alexander Zaichenko
Anatoly Pchelintsev
What the East can give the West: Spiritual riches

93035445

49580